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(N0 ModeLj I H. 0. LA POINT & O. B. HOPPIN.

SGABBARD FOR INTRENGHING TOOLS. No. 314,856. Patented Mar. 31, 1885.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY LA POINT AND CURTIS B. HOPPIN, OF THE UNITED STATES ARMY.

SCABBARD FOR lNTRENCHlNG-TOOLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part ofLetters Patent No. 314,856, dated March 31, 1885.

Application filed April 525, 1883. Renewed February 25, 1885. (No model) To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, HENRY 0. LA POINT,

I First Lieutenant, Second United States Cavalry, and CURTIS B. HOPPIN, Second Lieu tenant, Second United States Cavalry, at present stationed at Fort Custer, Montana Territory, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Scabbards for Intrenching- Tools; and we do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

Our invention relates to improvements inscabbards for portable intrenchingtools for military use; and the object of the invention is to provide such tools with means whereby they can be conveniently carried on the march in compact shape, and at the same'time readily put in condition for immediate use.

Our invention consists in a peculiar scabbard or case for the blade of an intrenchingtool, having a socket to receive the removable handle of the tool, and a specially-constructed sling for attaching it to the person.

In the-accompanying drawings, Figure 1' is a front view of a tool-scabbard containing a spade; Fig. 2, a similar view of a scabbard for a pick. Fig. 3 shows the pick with the removable handle in position. Fig. 4 is a front view ofthe pick detached.

A represents the scabbard for an intrenching-toolin this instance aspade. It is composed of a back piece, 1, of harness-leather, having oppositely-curved sides terminating in apoint. At the lower point or angle is stitched or riveted the leather piece 2, which incloses the point of the shovel or spade when in the scabbard. Near the top of the back plate, 1, and to its side edges, is firmly secured a leather plate, 3, which holds the upper portion of the shovel-blade, as shown in Fig. 1. The middle portion of the plate 3 is bent or crimped intoa circular loop, 4, which receives and holds the removable handle when disconnected from the shovel. The shovel or spade B is of steel or iron, and substantially of the usual flat-pointed shape. It is provided at its upper end with a notched or recessed tang, 5, and, as shown in Fig. 1, fits snugly within the scabbard. The companion tool or pick is provided with a scabbard of substantially the same construction, but ot different shape from that of the spade. It is represented at O in Fig. 2, and consists of a narrow leather back piece, 6, to which is secured a leather socket, 7, for the pick, around the upper or open end of which is stitched the loop 8 for the interchangeable handle. The pick D is composed of a straight steel blade sharpened at its lower end to an edge, and having at its upper end atang or tenon, 9, similar to that on the spade. At the junction of the tenon and blade is a cross or foot piece, 10, forming a part of the steel blade, by which the pick is forced into the ground.

The handle E is shown in Fig. 3 with the pick attached. It is a round wooden bar having at its lower end a steel socket, 11, into which the end fits, the parts being securely held by rivets 12, passing through arms 13 of the socket, which are secured in grooves in the wood of the handle, so as to lie flush with its surface. The handle is removabl y secured to either of the intrenching-t'ools by a setfrom the tool, the handle is held within the loop upon the outside of the scabbard, where it is out of the way and easily carried. The scabbard is suspended from the shoulder of the wearer by the adjustable sling F, Fig. 1. A pad of leather, 15, is provided on its outer surface with loops 16, by which it is adjusted on the narrow strap 17, passing through such loops. The strap 17 is firmly secured to the rear upper corner of the scabbard, and passes across the back and over the shoulder of the wearer, the pad being adjusted to the proper position on the shoulder to prevent the narrow strap from cutting 'or chafing.

To the front corner of the scabbard is sewed a short strap, 18, with abuckle, which is connected to the strap 17 in front, it preferably passing beneath the cartridge-belt. In order, however, to ease the shoulders of the wearer,

which hook into rings on the cartridge-belt, pose described, the adjustable shoulder-pad and enable the seabbard to be wholly or parand the sling secured to the scabbaird. tially supported by the hips. I11 testimony whereof we have hereunto Having described ourinvention, we claiin signed our names in presence of two subscrib- 5 1. A case or Scabbard having sockets ing \vitnesses.

adapted, respectively, to support the blade H. 0. LA POINT. and detachable handle of an intrenching-tool, O. B. HOPPIN. and provided with a sling, substantially as Witnesses:

described, for suspending it from the person. J. G. BUDDS,

IO 2. Combined with the Scabbard for the pur- D. G. PEARSON. 

